17 July 2021

Wout van Aert Takes Time Trial!

Belgian Wout van Aert won his second stage in this year's Tour de France with an impressive individual time trial.  Just seven other cyclists could get within a minute of van Aert.
At least our prediction was within a minute of his great ride!
  • Stage 20:  35' 53" (actual), 36' 40" (prediction), 00' 47" slow (2.18% error)
I am happy with that prediction.  What made me even happier was watching van Aert really crank up the speed.
  • Stage 20:  14.31 m/s (51.50 kph or 32.00 mph)
I certainly know what that speed is like in a car, but not on a bicycle, especially as an average speed for more than half an hour.

One of the seven riders who came within a minute of van Aert was this year's Tour de France winner, Tadej Pogačar.  He will ride into Paris tomorrow, cross the finish line as the winner for the second straight year, and also collect the white and polka dot jerseys.  He still has two months to go before turning 23!

Tomorrow's mostly ceremonial stage begins in Chatou.  Riders will travel 108.4 km (67.36 mi), first going west, and then making a counterclockwise circle back east to Paris.  Our prediction is given below.
  • Stage 21:  2h 33' 04" (prediction)
It will be hard to not root for Mark Cavendish to break the record!

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